ITV Saturday Newbury And Newmarket Preview

The Listed Carnavon Stakes over six furlongs looks a highly competitive affair on Saturday and if more rain comes Happy Romance could be the value angle.

The three year old has been highly progressive throughout her career landing a hat-trick as a juvenile, starting in a 25 runner Class 2 at Newbury.

She then went to York in another big fielded handicap and demolished the field which saw her step up to a Group Three at Salisbury where again she got the job done in style.

The filly ended her juvenile season in the 6f Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket and ran to a good standard to finish fourth of eight runners.

This season the filly returned at Newbury over 7f and did not suit the step up in trip, but last time out back at 6f she got back to winning ways at Chelmsford.

That run would have got her ready for this event and getting some cut in the ground will only be beneficial for her and against others at the top of the market.

The Listed Fairway Stakes over 1m2f is the first race of the day from Newmarket on ITV and the Ed Dunlop trained John Leeper will not be far away.

The son of Frankel was seen once as a juvenile finishing a good fourth in a 10 runner Maiden Stakes at Doncaster on good ground, finishing behind some nice horses that have since gone on to win .

John Leeper also franked the form of that race on seasonal debut this term, being stepped up to 1m2f and landing a nice event at Newcastle by four lengths.

Being closely related to Virgin Snow shows that the step up in trip is where the best of his runs will come over and if coming on for that win at Newcastle he is the one to beat.

A cracking small fielded event on the card is the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes and we can't look past the favourite Al Aasy for William Haggas.

The four year old last year showed serious ability when winning back to back races at Newmarket over 12 and 13 furlongs, but went to Glorious Goodwood after that and flopped.

Many might have given up on the Sea The Stars colt after that, but on seasonal debut he stepped up for the Group Three Surprise Stakes over course and distance and ran out a very easy 4 1/2 lengths winner.

That sets the form standard in the race this season, wit having had a run over Logician being a major factor for us.

Next up is the Listed King Charles II Stakes over seven furlongs and the horse that has caught the eye for us in this field is the Godolphin owned Cloudbridge.

Charlie Appleby's three year old was seen three times last term, promising so much after winning well at Leicester on debut, but was then sent to York into the Group Three Acomb Stakes and ran no race at all.

He was waited on slightly and was then dropped to six furlongs at Kempton in the Group Three Sirenia Stakes and finished a nose second to The Mighty Gurkha.

The son of Hard Spun is expected to much better as a three year old and if fully tuned up looks a value player at 5/1.

The Class 2 London Gold Cup Handicap over 1m2f looks a race full of potential superstars and Bay Bridge for the in form Sir Michael Stoute.

The three year old showed ability on both his starts as a juvenile, finishing third at Yarmouth on soft ground over 7f on debut.

He then went Kempton in November and finished another good fourth behind the smart Rebel's Romance for Charlie Appleby, who has since landed a Group Two in Meydan.

Back for this season he stepped up in trip on seasonal debut at Newcastle over 1m2f and got off the mark for his career in fine style landing a Novice Stakes by five lengths, beating some smart horses.

He will be sure to come on for that run and looks to be on a fair mark for his handicap debut.Turf debut.

The Class 2 Handicap over six furlongs sees a big field head to post and with that in mind we have two selections in the event.

The first is the the three year old Jumby cost 45,000gns as a yearling and in his three starts to date has shown enough ability to warrant having a punt on today on his first try at this trip.

The son of New Bay won on debut back in July at Ascot on good ground over seven furlongs, seeing off the highly talented New Mandate.

He then backed that up at Newbury when third in a Listed event over seven furlongs, running well in behind two smart types.

The colt was last seen in September stepped up to a mile at Newbury and he looked more to be a horse of pace than stamina when fading into third.

Tried at 6f for the first time on seasonal debut, he looked a big eye-catcher when getting blocked in running and still doing well to get third.

He runs in this event off the same mark and if getting a clear passage looks to be the one to beat, with the form of his seasonal bow being franked since.

The feature race of the day at Newbury on Saturday is the Grade One Lockinge Stakes over a mile and there is no looking past the favourite Palace Pier.

The son of Kingman has been pretty much faultless to date, winning both his starts as a juvenile, starting at Sandown back in August winning a nice maiden and then going on to back that up over the same course and distance.

He made his seasonal debut at Newcastle on the all weather seeing off a stern effort from the Richard Fahey trained Acquitted but off the back of that he improved a massive amount to hunt down Pinatubo late in the day at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Having four wins from four races, he put his unbeaten run on the line in the Group One Jacques Le Marois and in heavy ground cleared away from the field with the Jessica Harrington trained Alpine Star the closest to him.

That set him up perfectly for his final run of the season in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day, but unfortunately he had to settle for third and lost his unbeaten record.

Back for another season this term, the four year old made his seasonal debut at Sandown on the Group Two bet365 Mile and despite only being 85% fit, powered clear of a fair field.

That would have put him spot on for this event and having won on soft ground before he looks difficult to beat.